I am delighted with the insightful comments from so many dealers
and collectors, and thank you all so much for sharing your thoughts. The
surprise is that, almost without exception, there were few "name"
designers
mentioned in the this year's top sellers, and none of them made the top
four list. What a shock! Who would have thought
it a year ago? Yes, Haskell is still strong, and a few mentioned
Trifari, Schreiner and a couple of others, but the only category mentioned by
almost every single dealer and collector was... "UNSIGNED". Just when attributing each
and every piece of unsigned jewelry to a well-known maker has become
something of an obsession, it seems that collectors are less interested in "name" than in
"look".

Molly Garza
said it for a lot of us who both sell and collect. "Our best selling items are gorgeous unsigned....and I am aiding the economy by spending,
too!" Said Myrna Seale, "In last year's contest, 'category'
meant almost exclusively specific designers. But for me as a
collector it isn't the designer, it's "type". Carol Bell. after
naming some well-known makers that sold well for her, also said, "A
surprise seller for me (since I sell mostly glitzy pieces) were pot
metal pins with flower motif, enamel and a few rhinestones." And
Jenny Wren said it the funniest, "For
me, unsigned pins are smokin' like a fresh-fired Saturday night
special!"

I heard it over and over... unsigned,
unusual quality pieces won this year, hands down!

To accent any outfit, this pin and earring set has
large pink art glass cabochons surrounded by white, pale lavender, blue and
yellow rhinestones. The pin is 2 inches by 2-3/4 inches. Each earring measures
1-1/4 inches high and 1 inch across.Courtesy Carol Bell

Victorian jewelry is now 100 to 170 years old and like most really
great jewelry, it is getting harder to find truly wonderful pieces.
Cathy Gordon says, "Two new areas for me this year--Deco, including some
fabulous Fahrner pieces and Victorian--lover's eye, portrait brooches on
ivory, garnets, even a Silesian wirework brooch". The
appreciation for it has revived again this year, with collectors looking
for engraved pieces, hand painted pieces and pieces using unusual
materials. Buckle and snake motifs were mentioned, as were earrings.

VICTORIAN eye brooch.
Called "Lover's Eye" jewelry, this
brooch is a wonderful hand painted on ivory of a woman's eye set in gold
with pearls, dated 1845.Courtesy of Cathy Gordon

VICTORIAN cut steel set circa 1860, the necklace is 18" by 1-1/3", the
bracelet 7" by 1-1/3", early to mid-1800's. Polished steel faceted studs
were riveted to a steel backing to fashion this type of jewelry.
ViewViewViewView #V25841

SILESIA wire work brooch
in the shaper of a bunch of grapes. Origins of this are still unknown
(see Warman's page 30) though conjectured to come from Silesia. The
woven wire mesh is machine-made and Christie Romero circa dates this pin
to 1840.Courtesy of Cathy Gordon

Continuing the interest in older jewelry, the era of the 1920s
and 1930s has a very strong following and received many votes from both
dealers and collectors. Whether it is Deco, Czech, or filigree, strong unusual pieces fly off the web sites. Sash brooches with
Art Nouveau or bizarre motifs won some fans, and Retro was also
mentioned by several as a new interest this year.

Signed Czech oval pin with dark red
enamel around the edge, green enamel leaves, and rhinestones. The background
looks like basket-weave.Courtesy Carol Bell

FAHRNER
Deco necklace and bracelet with rectangular faceted stones in blues and
greens, marcasites, all set in sterling, circa 1920, signed Germany. Courtesy of Cathy Gordon

Pam Brooks was one of many who said, "The biggest sleeper is
non-jewelry. I'm still in shock!" It
seems that many jewelry collectors and dealers are branching out into
accessories in a big way... purses, chatelaines, and even old spectacles
with the proper new lenses so that they can be used. Natural as it seems
to pair accessories with jewelry, it is an area new to some jewelry fans.
Accessories this year have taken off like a rocket.

PETIT POINT purse 9 inches long and 7-1/2" wide
across the frame. Beautiful garden motif with many flowers and wonderful
colors, the chain handle is decorated with glass beads. ViewViewViewViewViewView #P20987

CHATELAINE
the mirror is hallmarked Birmingham 1904-05, maker's mark C&N; the pencil
holder is marked Chester 1902-3; the match safe is engraved with the
initials "HHA"; the envelope-shaped stamp holder is hallmarked Birmingham
1977. The length from top to bottom is 9".
ViewViewViewView
#V20954

PLEASE NOTE:Regretfully, it
is no longer possible to respond to individual questions regarding
jewelry history, identification or value, or to offer written or verbal
appraisals or opinions. The demand for this kind of information is
absolutely too overwhelming for one dealer to fill.
I love jewelry, but appraising and selling are two
entirely different businesses, and I choose selling and research as my
business.
Instead, articles are added on a regular basis to JEWEL CHAT on line Magazine, a
wonderful reference for information on many makers and styles of
vintage jewelry.
For information on valuing your jewelry, click
HERE.